Overlord of the Void
by Dkblade
Summary: Louise has spent most of her life trying, and failing, to do magic. The Overlord has spent most of his life locked up in the Abyss. No one knows what will happen when these two meet, but one thing is certain: Helkeginia will never be the same again. Dead
1. Chapter 1

I know there already is a fic out there with a similar premise, but whatever. Mine seemed different enough, so I figured I'd put it up here anyway. The author's notes can be found at the bottom of the page. Also, here's the obligatory disclaimer, in case the word 'FanFiction' in the top left corner of the screen isn't enough:

Disclaimer: Zero no Tsukaima is the property of Noboru Yamaguchi and Media Factory. Overlord is the property of Triumph Studios and Codemasters. I claim no ownership of any of the elements of either franchise appearing in this story. This entire story is a work of fan-fiction.

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><p><strong>Overlord of the Void:<strong>

Chapter 1

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><p>This is a story of a long time ago.<p>

Once, there was an Overlord, who, after many battles, succeeded in conquering the land, uniting the many different people under his iron rule. And although the people often grumbled about their leader's harsh punishments, they never voiced their complaints, for their bellies were full and their homes were safe.

All was well in the world, and for a while, there was peace in the Overlord's empire.

But all of this changed when an ancient, Forgotten God awakened from his slumber in the Abyss. Wanting to escape from his eternal prison, he opened gateways to his world in the Overlord's lands, not to send people _out_, but to invite people _in_. The fools who entered would then be tortured by the Forgotten God's servants, and their suffering would allow the god to break free from his chains.

Wishing to protect his subjects, and eager to conquer new lands, the Overlord went to war once more, and descended into the fiery depths of the Abyss to take the fight to the Forgotten God himself. Wave after wave of damned souls were defeated by the Overlord and his Minions, until he finally stood face to face with their leader. They then proceeded to fight each other, and after a long and terrible battle, the Forgotten God, too, fell to the Overlord's blade. However, he refused to go down quietly. In a final act of defiance, he destroyed the gateways connecting the Abyss with the mortal realm, thus trapping the Overlord within his prison for all eternity.

How long has it been since then? How long has it been since that Overlord, since _I_, had last felt the warm rays of daylight? A hundred? A thousand? I can no longer keep track of the time. Here in the Abyss, time has no meaning. Well, I suppose that by keeping track of the constant influx of new souls, one can somewhat guess the passing of time, but what good would that do me? To be able to count every passing day, to know just how long I have been trapped in this _hell_...

I don't think I would be able to remain sane if I did so.

Of course, who is to say I haven't turned insane already? What with my only companions being the wraiths that inhabit this world, I don't really have a way to compare myself with an ordinary being.

Indeed, in this entire world, I am the only one capable of human thought and speech. Of course, there are always the souls of the wicked, who came here to suffer for their crimes, but they are hardly pleasant company. Especially considering it was probably one of my successors who put them here in the first place.

Back when I first got here, I had wondered if Rose would ever come here. But while I would have welcomed her companionship, I had dismissed that idea almost immediately. Despite her relationship with _me_, she was a good person. She would never come to a place like this, and that is probably for the best.

My armor creaks as I rise from my throne, which is identical to the one I used to have back in the normal world. In fact, so is the tower I'm standing in right now. Just like the other planes are twisted copies of parts of the normal world, so is this tower a distant echo of the Dark Tower. Although the real Dark Tower apparently got destroyed some time after I left, this tower still exists, because I willed it. Being the God of the Abyss did come with a few perks, no matter how meager they might be.

I step onto the balcony overseeing the Abyss, and extend my consciousness to the rest of my domain. Although I have long since given up the hope to ever find a way out of here, I still keep trying. Carefully scanning the barrier between the Abyss and the living world, I look for any gaps or tears that would allow me to slip through.

Contrary to my expectations, I did find one. It was right behind me, in fact. I instantly twist around, feeling my eyes grow larger as I take in the weird sight in front of me.

Weird, but not unwelcome.

Hovering above the ground just a couple of steps away from me, is a large green portal. Just by looking at it, I can tell that it doesn't belong here. The energy permeating the Abyss is one of fire and darkness, of death. The power that is coming from this portal however, is completely unfamiliar to me. It is unlike anything I have ever sensed before. Almost as if it is trying to lure me, I feel myself being drawn towards this strange portal. This little fact does set off warning bells in my head, but I can still only barely contain my excitement.

It's a _portal_. And it's from _outside_.

I have been searching for something like this for _ages_, ever since I first got trapped in here. Really, there isn't much to think about. Sure, this might get extremely dangerous, but when has that ever stopped me from doing anything?

I quickly check whether my sword is still strapped to my back, and then I take a leap. As the portal swallows me and I begin to fall, all I see is darkness.

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><p>Another year had begun, and that meant that the time for the Springtime Familiar Summoning had come once again.<p>

For the second year students at the Tristain Academy of Magic, this was one of the most important days of their lives, for today was the day they would summon their familiars, life-long companions that mirrored their summoners' magical affinity and power.

For Professor Jean Colbert, also known as the Flame Snake, it just meant more work. As their instructor during the familiar summonings, it was his duty to guide his students in their attempts to summon their own familiars.

One by one, Colbert called up the students to perform the ritual, and the results were more than satisfactory. Among the summoned familiars were plenty of mundane animals, like frogs and moles, although this time, they were also accompanied by quite a few less mundane creatures. A floating eyeball known as a bugbear, a massive salamander, and even a young wind dragon were summoned this time.

Another explosion went off.

Of course, while this day started out as promising, no plan ever went off without a hitch. Said hitch was currently steadying herself for _another_ attempt at the summoning ritual, after the previous few attempts quite literally blew up in her face.

Said hitch's name was Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière.

In a way, Colbert felt sorry for the young girl. From what he had seen of her, she tried her best to perform magic, even outdoing her peers in magic theory. Yet, whenever it came to the actual casting of a spell, it would always end in an explosion.

Louise the Zero, the other students called her.

Colbert suppressed a weary sigh, and nodded to the young girl. "Please go ahead, miss Vallière."

The girl in question nodded, and taking a deep breath, she started to chant, pointing her wand at the magic circle drawn on the ground. "I beg of you... My servant who lives somewhere in the universe!"

Colbert blinked. It seemed Louise had decided to use a different chant this time. Well, that was fine by him. After all, it was not so much the words themselves that were important, as was the intent behind them. Her previous attempts all ended in failure; perhaps this new approach would allow her to finally succeed.

"Oh sacred, beautiful, and strong familiar spirit! I desire and here I plead from my heart! Answer to my guidance!" Louise brought her wand down, releasing the magic that had gathered at its tip. Her shoulders drooped as another explosion followed, far greater than the ones before.

The force behind the explosion was enough to knock most people off their feet, but Colbert was already prepared for it. Bracing himself for the impact, he covered his face with his arms to protect it from the flying debris.

Colbert's ears were ringing from the explosion, and as he couldn't see anything because of the dust, he was ready to call it a day, believing it to be another failure. However, as his hearing slowly returned, he noticed that something was different from the other attempts. The air was filled with a wild cacophony of sounds, created by the recently summoned familiars. This was unusual; familiars are supposed to possess a higher intelligence than normal animals, and they should have become used to the explosions by now.

As Colbert prepared to turn around to calm the familiars, the reason for their distress became readily apparent. As the dust finally settled, a black humanoid shape emerged from the cloud. And it was _large_. Colbert wasn't that small himself, but even he only reached to shape's shoulders.

When the dust cleared, Colbert took a good look at him, for he was now certain it was male. He seemed to be a large man, clad fully in black armor. Even his face was concealed by a black helmet, leaving only his eyes visible, which were glowing a fiery red. Although these things were plenty of reason to worry, Colbert wasn't paying that much attention to them. Far more concerning was the large sword the man kept sheathed on his back. It seemed to be a single-edged sword, and it was larger than Colbert was tall.

As the man didn't seem to pay attention to the commotion around him, Colbert silently drew his wand, quickly casting a Detect Magic spell on the man. What he saw shocked even him. Colbert had seen many things during his time as a soldier, but even he could not believe what he was seeing now; or rather, what he was sensing now.

'Detect Magic' allowed a mage to gauge the magical strength of a person or object. It was because of this that he could tell that Louise did, in fact, possess some degree of magic, contrary to what certain others claimed.

Colbert had met many strong mages personally, but the magical power this man possessed was truly overwhelming. It dwarfed anything he had ever seen before.

At that moment, the man turned to face him. His eyes were slightly narrowed, as if he were smirking under his helmet. It was almost as if the man _knew_ what Colbert was thinking, as if he had somehow sensed the spell Colbert had cast.

But... that was impossible, wasn't it? There was no way he could have known that. 'Detect Magic' should have been completely undetectable to anyone but the caster. Colbert knew this, but it didn't do anything to soothe his nerves.

The students around him had already gotten over the shock, and were now taunting the little Vallière about her 'commoner'. But the moment Colbert's eyes met those of the man, he had known. This man was _dangerous_. His students were convinced that a mere _familiar_ could never possess any magic, could never match a _noble_, but Colbert knew better. He had to keep an eye on this one.

Meanwhile, the ceremony continued on. Colbert saw that the man had removed his helmet, and had kneeled down to be face to face with his summoner. While the man was certainly more terrifying when he still wore his helmet, its removal only made it slightly less so. His hair was as white as snow, a complete absence of any color. His skin was a ghastly pale, possessing little more color than his hair. And his eyes... although their glow seemed to have disappeared along with his helmet, what it was hiding was just as frightening. His eyes were as red as blood, cold and completely devoid of any emotion. Although his face appeared to be startlingly young, his eyes seemed to belie that fact. They were the eyes of a soldier, one who had seen many battles, and who had come out on top every time, climbing over the corpses of his enemies.

Colbert briefly considered stopping the ritual, to ensure the safety of his students, but he hesitated for too long, and as Louise waved around her wand a final time and planted a kiss on the man's lips, it was too late.

Small wisps of smoke began to rise from the man's left hand, and then the contract was complete.

Colbert just hoped he had made the right decision.

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><p>I'm falling.<p>

It's weird. Falling like this, surrounded by complete darkness, I feel weightless, no more than a tiny speck on the wheel of fate. For the first time, I feel truly powerless. I can't say I really like the feeling. The fact that it's true doesn't make me feel any better.

Perhaps it has been only a few seconds, or perhaps it has been hours since I first jumped through that portal, but somewhere in the darkness, I can finally see a bright light. The light rapidly grows bigger, until it swallows me, just like I had been consumed by the darkness earlier.

Then, it is over, and my armored feet slam into the ground with a loud thud, the impact kicking up some dirt. Still, no matter how hard my landing was, it was nowhere near hard enough to create a cloud of dust the size I was standing in right now.

As I take a moment to regain my bearings, the dust settles, and I take a look around to see where I ended up this time. It seems I'm standing on a large grassy plain, surrounded by children. There's also a large castle off in the distance.

Hmmm. That's... not exactly what I had been expecting. The large grassy plain doesn't surprise me that much, but I had actually been expecting a large horde of Minions to welcome me, under the presumption that Gnarl had found a way to get me out of the Abyss. Or at the very least a large horde of monsters who want to kill me. That wouldn't have been such a big surprise either.

I had most certainly _not_ expected to be summoned by a child, of all people. Because that's who summoned me.

A child.

_A little brat_.

A girl, in fact, with strawberry blond hair that under the right light seems almost _pink_.

I'm sure Gnarl would have been laughing his ass off right now. That, or he would have facepalmed in shame. _I_ certainly feel like doing that right now.

It seems that while was I contemplating the sheer idiocy of the situation I managed to land myself in, the little children managed to recover from the shock of seeing my almighty self. They promptly followed that up by starting to throw insults at me, as well as at my summoner.

A commoner? Me? _A commoner_? Do I _look_ common to them? And _brutish_? Can a mere _brute_ cast magic the likes of which no one has ever seen, let alone master? And can a _brute_ command armies and rule the greatest empire of the world? I think not.

The insults they yell at my summoner has me frowning as well. Zero? Magicless? From what I can sense of the girl, she possesses more power than this whole rabble combined.

The thought to show these little brats just how much of a _brute_ I can be briefly crosses my mind, but I dismiss that thought immediately. Losing my temper like that is far beneath me. And while such a thing could be done easily when I was still an Overlord, things are a bit more complicated right now. Back then, I was the Overlord, ruler of the land, and commander of the mightiest army to have ever existed. Right now, I am 'just' the strongest magical creature in the world. I don't even know where I am, so I should just take it easy for now.

Even though I could use the exercise.

Just as I plan on addressing my summoner, I feel the faint touch of magic stroke against my body. A scrying? I turn towards the source, an adult balding man I didn't notice before, who seems surprised that I noticed his little spell. I can feel a smirk creeping onto my face, as that of the man twists in something that faintly resembles fear, as he must be able to feel the difference in power between us. Still, it was no more than a little twitch in his face, something easily missed by someone less perceptive. Impressive. Now that I get a good look at him, he does seem different from the others, obvious differences like age aside. There is something in his eyes, something that tells me this man has seen things, done things, that he would rather forget about. Out of all the people gathered here, he is the only one who has experienced battle before. He, and surprisingly, a little blue haired girl standing to the side, who seems way too tense for someone who is only reading a book.

I finally turn my gaze back to the girl in front of me, the strawberry blond haired girl who summoned me. She flinches at having become the center of attention, but she recovers admirably fast. She gulps audibly, but when she finally speaks, her tone is filled with confidence, "Familiar, take off your helmet."

I frown in surprise, but then my frown turns into a smile. Well, well, look at that. It seems my summoner is quite brave. Quite brave, or quite stupid. I guess I'll see which one it is soon enough. I normally wouldn't have done this, but her apparent courage amuses me, and since she possesses enough power to pull me out of the Abyss, I suppose she is worthy of _some_ respect. As such, I decide to humor her request.

I kneel down to see her at eye level, and remove my helmet.

She lets out a small gasp of surprise. I suppose that is to be expected. After having spent such a long time in the Abyss, my body isn't exactly ordinary anymore, after all. The world of the dead has wreaked many changes on my still living body, my appearance being the least of them.

"Alright, sit still," the girl says, as she frowns in concentration, while waving around her wand. "My name is Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière. Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers; bless this humble being, and make him my familiar." Apparently having finished her chant, she lightly taps the wand against my forehead. Her face then flushes.

Wait, what is this talk about being humble and becoming a familiar? I start to open my mouth, but before I can inquire further, the girl presses her lips against my own. It was brief, no more than a light touching of our lips, but a kiss none the less.

What.

The girl, whose name is apparently Louise, quickly withdrew, her face as red as a tomato, and for the second time, I open my mouth to speak. And for the second time, I am interrupted, this time by an intense pain, starting from the back of my left hand and spreading throughout my entire body. Small wisps of smoke are rising from my hand, as if something is being inscribed there. I grit my teeth and bear with it, my hand clenched into a fist until it finally stops.

When the pain disappears, I can feel something has changed. There is something in the back of my mind, a connection that wasn't there before. I quickly slip off the gauntlet covering my left hand, and stare at the runes that appeared there.

_Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers; bless this humble being, and make him my familiar._

Those were her words, and their meaning has become clear to me now. I've been branded like an animal.

I glare fiercely at Louise, and the girl averts her eyes uneasily. "What is the meaning of this?"

The girl opens her mouth as if to answer, but before she can say anything, another voice cuts in. "Ah, if I may I interrupt... I believe I can answer that question," the bald man from before says, as he kneels down next to me. In his hands are a few pieces of paper, on which he quickly scribbles down some notes. It seems he is copying the runes that have appeared on my hand.

"These are some very unusual runes," the man mutters to himself, before he addresses me. "I am Professor Colbert, and I am a teacher at the Tristain Academy of Magic." He then looks at me expectantly, as if that name should mean something to me.

It does not, and so I impatiently urge him to continue. A slight frown now on his face, the man named Colbert does just that. "The runes on your hand mean that you have been summoned as a familiar by miss Vallière here." He then confirms my concerns.

A familiar. It is just as I thought. These runes aren't simply an ordinary mark, they are magical in nature as well. They bind me, and if I'm not mistaken, they are even attempting to manipulate my mind. All in order to change me into the perfect servant.

Well, if they believe that I am just going to let that happen, then they are sadly mistaken. I might no longer be an Overlord, but that hasn't made me any weaker. These runes cannot control me.

The atmosphere changes in an instant. It becomes heavy, oppressive, filled with killing intent, as I seriously contemplate killing these little brats right here and now. Although the students didn't seem to have noticed, Colbert did, and he tenses up as well, perhaps hoping to stop me, should I attempt to do something.

However...

"I can do that." After thinking it over for a while, I say this.

"Eh?" His disbelief was clearly written on his face. "Er, I mean, good!" After throwing another wary look my way, he turns to Louise. "Congratulations, miss Vallière. You have failed 'Summon Servant' many times, but you have managed to succeed with 'Contract Servant' in one try."

Wow. Fast recovery.

He then addresses the rest of the students. "Well, let's go back to class, everyone." As soon as he finished saying this, he turned on his heel, and rose into the air. The other students followed his example shortly after. They then began to float towards the castle in the distance.

Oh, look. Humans who are trying to be fairies. I'm already starting to hate this place.

Louise loudly scrapes her throat, causing me to turn my attention back to my 'master'. "Familiar. Let's go," she orders me, as she starts following her classmates, who have disappeared out of sight by now.

I snort lightly, and do the same thing. Of course, I have no intention of actually becoming this little girl's lapdog. I only accepted because the contract was already made, and killing her now wouldn't have done me any good. Also, I still wonder how she managed to summon me. My senses most certainly couldn't have been wrong. That girl possesses a power far greater than any of her peers, even if she doesn't know it yet, and I am curious as to what it is.

But for now, we'll see how things go. After all, if this partnership doesn't work out, and I decide that she is not worth the trouble, then all the power in the world won't be enough to save her from _me_.

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><p>We are currently in Louise's room. Night has fallen, and outside the window, I can see the moons have risen.<p>

Yes, _moons_. As in plural. It seems that wherever I am, it's not the world I originally came from.

"So, you're saying you are from another world?" Louise asks me, seated across from me on her bed.

I don't answer. We've been going over this for quite a while now, and I've learned that Louise is quite stubborn. In fact, right now, she's going to say...

"I can't believe it."

I knew it. It seems that Louise has a problem with understanding things that aren't commonly accepted. In fact, I have actually told her pretty much everything about me by now. She didn't believe me.

_"I used to be Overlord."_

_"I don't believe you."_

_"I'm over a thousand years old."_

_"That's impossible."_

_"I hate fairies."_

_"I can't be-... Wait, what?"_

Right now, Louise is glaring at me, arms crossed. It's actually kind of cute. Now, if only her hair didn't look like pink in this light... It hurts my eyes. It really, really does.

"Alright, alright, I think that's enough about me." I sigh deeply. "Why don't you tell me something about yourself?"

"Hmph." Louise proudly raises her chin. "Well, I am Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière, and I am the daughter of-"

I instantly interrupt her. "I don't believe you."

"W-What?" Louise stutters, as the corner of her left eyebrow starts twitching in annoyance.

"It's annoying when people do that, isn't it?" I reply triumphantly. Since I can't kick her around like used to do with my Minions, I'll take whatever victory I can get, no matter how petty.

"Hey, don't talk back to me like that, commoner!" Louise yells at me with a face that has turned red from anger.

"You keep using that word... I don't think it means what you think it means." No, seriously. I'm absolutely positive there's nothing common about me.

"Well, you're not a mage, right? So you're a commoner," Louise answers me with a slight air of superiority.

Eh, Louise? Although I know better, even you think that you are a failure. I really don't think that's something to be proud of. "Well, I suppose I could try to correct you, but you probably wouldn't _believe_ me anyway," I counter with a smirk.

"Argh! You know what, all this talking has made me sleepy," Louise says, as she rises from her bed. She then slowly begins to unbutton her shirt. One by one, the buttons came undone.

Meanwhile, I just keep looking with interest. Hey, if it doesn't bother her, then why should I let it bother me? I mean, I _did_ just spend over a thousand years locked up with _wraiths_ as my only companions. So it's not like anyone can blame me, right? _Right?_

Ahem. Anyway... Now that she's done unbuttoning her shirt, she carelessly takes it off and throws it into my arms. Then, she took off her skirt. Then, her underwear.

Hmmm. Her chest is as flat as a board.

"Familiar, stop staring at me!" Louise yells at me. Heh, it seems she was more bothered by it than she initially let on.

"I wasn't staring at all. I was just watching you very carefully." Nope, that's not staring at all.

It didn't seem to do anything to appease Louise, however. "Well, whatever it is you were doing, stop it!" she screams, as she throws the last remaining bits of clothing at my face. "Wash these clothes for me. I want them to be ready by tomorrow!"

As I frown at the clothing in my arms, Louise huffs, and disappears under the sheet of her bed. Is she serious? I wait for a few moments to see if there is anything else, but it seems she has fallen asleep.

I let out a small sigh as I step out of the room into the hallway. Washing clothing... How exactly am I supposed to do that? To be honest, I've never actually washed anything in my entire life. An Overlord obviously wouldn't do such a thing, and I cannot remember what I did before I became one. Perhaps I should go find one of the servants here. They'll probably know.

Not knowing the exact layout of the academy, I blindly pick a direction and start walking, memorizing the various turns as I went past them.

Stalking through the largely empty hallways, I notice a pair of students hidden in the shadow of one of the corridors. The first is a blond haired boy, wearing a frilly shirt that leaves his chest bare. By his side is an oversized mole, most likely his familiar. For some reason, he reminds me a lot of a so-called 'hero' named William the Black. The other is a young brown haired girl, wearing a brown cloak and holding a plate of soufflés.

"I would be glad to have some," the boy said, flashing a brilliant smile that seems practiced.

"Really?" the girl asked hopefully.

"Really, Katie. I cannot tell lies in front of your eyes," the boy assured her. Obviously, this boy is filled with of lust, making him seem even more like a certain person I strongly dislike. Or used to dislike, at least. Watching him burn alive for all eternity did make me feel a lot better. I quicken my pace as I hurry past them, all the while trying to suppress the urge to kill the William-lookalike as much as I can.

After rounding a few more corners, I finally find what I was looking for. Walking just a few meters in front of me, carrying a large amount of laundry, was a black haired girl in a maid outfit. Still, I should make sure this is the right person.

"Excuse me, but are you one of the servants working at this academy?"

The maid startles at the sound of my voice, and turning around to look at me, she yelps, falling on her backside and scattering the dirty laundry all over the floor.

"Ah! I'm so sorry!" the girl shouts, bowing her head in apology.

How annoying. Shaking my head, I take her hand and help her get up. "It's fine, I'm no 'noble'." I suppose I might actually count as one, but in my opinion, I'm not. I intend to change that, though. I just need to find a way to conquer this place and regain my old status as Overlord. It's no big deal, really.

The maid blushes as she looks up at me. "Are you new here? I don't think I've ever seen you before," she asks me.

"It would have surprised me if you had. I was only summoned here today, after all."

The maid's eyes widen in surprise. "You were summoned as a familiar? I had heard that one of the nobles summoned a commoner, but I thought that those were just rumors."

Again with that word... I don't particularly feel like correcting her, though, since she is the first person I've met who genuinely seems like a good person. Yes, contrary to popular belief, I don't actually dislike good people. After all, a certain balance has to be maintained. The world wouldn't be able to function with only evil people, just like the world also cannot work with only pure good people. An Overlord is a force of concentrated evil, and because of that, more good people can exist. That is the true reason for our existence.

"Well, while most rumors are just that, some rumors are true. Like this one, obviously," I say.

The maid nods at my words and smiles. "Nice to meet you. I'm Siesta."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Siesta." And I meant it. So far, she has been better company than any of the so-called 'nobles' here, including Louise. I mean no disrespect to my master, of course.

"So... Was there anything you required of me, sir?" Siesta asks.

"Ah, yes. Louise wants these clothes to be washed." Technically, Louise told _me_ to wash them, but she doesn't need to know about that.

Siesta nods understandingly. "Just put them on the... pile... Oh, right," she mutters, as she looks around the hallway, dirty clothing strewn all over the place.

I suppress another sigh. I seem to be doing that a lot, lately. "Here, let me help you," I say, as I bend down to pick up the pieces of clothing from the floor.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly ask-," Siesta began, but I cut her off immediately.

"Don't be ridiculous. It's no trouble at all, so don't worry about it," I assure her. It's not like I have anything better to do, anyway. Some might say this is beneath my station, but really, if I don't have anything else to do, then I might as well do something productive.

Besides, it's not like I need to sleep anymore, either.

And just like that, the night passed, and a new day began.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

Well, I guess I'll just use this spot to comment on the chapter, and perhaps explain a few things I did.

As you might have noticed, I haven't actually mentioned the Overlord's name anywhere in the chapter. This was done on purpose. After all, the original Overlord didn't have a name either, and I wanted to keep it that way. Actually, I also wanted to keep his face a secret, but it's kind of hard to kiss someone when you're wearing a helmet that's covering your _entire face_. He's wearing the Harvesting Helmet, along with the Armor of Fire and the Sword of Life-Stealing, in case anyone was wondering. At least I made the Abyss change his appearance. Now we _still_ don't know what he originally looked like. Call it a compromise.

Next, Louise. She might seem a bit out of character initially, but think about it: the Overlord is not Saito. While the other students could laugh at him from a _safe distance_, it's different when you're standing right in front of him. After Louise safely bound him as a familiar, she reverted back to her usual, tsundere self, though.

Now, as for the Overlord himself... Honestly, I had envisioned him as being very cold and not very talkative. Obviously, his personality ended up being a bit different. But aside from that, this is pretty much how I thought an Overlord with 0% corruption would act; he's more like an anti-hero than an outright villain protagonist.

And yes, I know that the Overlord never encountered any fairies during the actual game. Still, I couldn't resist referencing them. I mean, they're _ridiculous_, not to mention very annoying. Let's just assume that the Overlord met them somewhere between the events in the original game and Raising Hell. Needless to say, that means that in this story, those events didn't take place right after each other.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Zero no Tsukaima is the property of Noboru Yamaguchi and Media Factory. Overlord is the property of Triumph Studios and Codemasters. I claim no ownership of any of the elements of either franchise appearing in this story. This entire story is a work of fan-fiction.

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><p><strong>Overlord of the Void:<strong>

Chapter 2

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><p>As it turns out, I ended up spending most of the night helping Siesta with a few of her tasks. After that, I spent some time familiarizing myself with the castle, so I wouldn't need to search the halls blindly again. By the time I finally returned to Louise's room, the sun had already risen, and I can hear the noise of some early risers coming from the hallway. Apparently, Louise herself isn't one of those, as she still seems to be fast asleep.<p>

Which leaves me with the task of waking her up. "Louise," I call out to her.

No reaction.

"Louise," I try again, a bit louder this time. Again, she doesn't react in any way.

"Hey, wake up," I say, as I start shaking her by her shoulder. This time, she mumbles something incoherently, but she still doesn't seem to wake up.

Finally losing my patience, I give a hard kick against the edge of her bed, thinking the impact should cause her to wake up. However, it seems these beds are less resistant to violence than the ones in the Dark Tower. With a loud crack, the bed splits into two halves.

This time, Louise does wake up.

Oh, _crap_.

Looking around in panic, Louise calms down as her eyes fall on me. Then, she sees the damage I inflicted on her bed. "Familiar, what happened to my bed?"

"Well, I think it split apart," I answer, in an attempt to stall the conversation for just a little bit longer.

Apparently, it wasn't the right answer. "Yes, I can see that. And why, exactly, is that?"

"I don't know. Maybe you need to go on a diet," I say, saying the first thing that came to mind.

Alright, that _definitely_ wasn't the right answer.

Her face slowly turning red from anger, she begins to grumble. "Why you, you stupid..."

Suddenly, her anger seems to disappear, to be replaced by a devilish smile. Getting out of the ruined bed, she stretches her arms out to the sides, looking at me expectantly. "Dress me," she orders.

I put on a smile that matches hers perfectly. "Alright, if that's what you want me to do..."

Louise's smile instantly disappears, and this time, her face turns a different shade of red. "You... Just wait outside!"

I snort, and adopting a mocking tone, I answer, "As you wish." Turning on my heel, I quickly leave the room.

It seems most of the students have already left for the dining hall, as the hallway is completely deserted. As I wait next to the door to Louise's room, one of the doors on the opposite side of the hall opens, and a red haired girl appears. She seems to be quite a bit larger than Louise, in several ways, and I get the impression that she is used to taking advantage of this little fact. Well, calling it a _large_ fact might be more accurate, really. The fact that she has left the top few buttons of her shirt undone, showing off her considerable cleavage, doesn't really do anything to take away this impression, either.

Shortly afterwards, Louise follows me out of her room as well, but as soon as she sees the girl, she freezes. When the girl catches sight of us, she grins broadly, and coming over to us, she says, "Good morning, Louise."

Louise frowns, and returns the greeting in a somewhat strained tone of voice. "Good morning... Kirche."

Then, Kirche turns towards me. "And I suppose this...," she says, while pointing at me mockingly, "is your familiar?"

"That's right," Louise answers.

Kirche burst out laughing. After she calmed down for a bit, she says, "Wow, it's really just like you to summon a commoner. What else to expect from Louise the Zero?"

Louise starts to shake in anger. "Shut up."

However, Kirche continues talking. "I summoned a familiar yesterday, too. But unlike a certain someone, I was successful on my first try." Then, pointing at the open door of her room, she says, "If you're going to have a familiar, it should be a good one, like this. Flame!" After calling out to her familiar, a salamander the size of a large dog crawls out.

Seeing the look of envy on Louise's face, Kirche grins. "Well, what do you think? Isn't he wonderful?"

Louise opens her mouth to make a retort, but I am just a little bit faster. "It's a salamander."

Kirche smiles. "That's right! A fire lizard! See, look at the tail. A flame this vivid and large means it's without a doubt a salamander from the Fire Dragon Mountains!"

Hm? Honestly, I fail to see what's so special about it. "What are you bragging about? It's just a salamander."

Kirche seems a bit skeptical, as she says, "Oh? And what would a commoner know of things like this?"

"Well, quite a bit, actually. I used to keep a few of them as pets," I say with a smirk. That was a very long time ago, though. I attempted to train some of them as mounts for the Red Minions, but I never managed to make it work during my time as the Overlord. While training salamanders isn't easy, trying to train a Minion is even harder. But at least they should have picked up a few things, so perhaps the next Overlord had more success.

My answer seems to have surprised Kirche, as she doesn't say anything for a few seconds, but then she replies, "Is that so? But surely, this one is special. After all, this is one of the rare salamanders from the Fire Dragon Mountains!"

"Why? Has this one learned how to cast magic of its own?"

Kirche seemed uncertain. "Er, no?"

"Can it speak? Or perhaps it obtained opposable thumbs?"

Again, Kirche replied in the negative.

"Then this salamander seems completely ordinary to me. Even its size is normal. It's nowhere near as large as a king salamander."

The conversation is put on hold for a few seconds as Kirche just stares at me. However, she doesn't seem offended. "Well, aren't you an interesting familiar." She starts to laugh. "Well then, I'll be off now." Having said that, she turns around and leaves. Her familiar starts following her shortly afterwards, and then they were gone.

Louise sighs. "That Kirche... She always gets on my nerves!" she complained. "But still... Was it true what you just said? About the salamanders?"

"Of course. I already told you what I did before I got here, right?"

Louise looks incredulous. "This again?"

It seems she still doesn't believe me. "Never mind. However, shouldn't we head towards the dining hall as well?"

"You're right. Let's go, familiar," Louise says as she starts walking down the hall, while beckoning me to follow her.

Well, then. Let's see what this dining hall looks like.

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><p>The entire academy is shaped like a pentagon, with a tower representing one of the five elements on each corner. The dining hall is located on the ground floor of the centermost building, with other important rooms, like the headmaster's office, on the higher floors.<p>

Inside the dining hall, three long tables are arranged parallel to each other. It appears that every grade has its own table. Viewed from the entrance, the students sitting at the table on the right are first years, wearing brown cloaks. In the middle are the second years wearing black cloaks, and on the left are the third years wearing purple cloaks.

Being a second year, Louise heads towards the middle table, as she starts explaining. "Tristain's Academy of Magic doesn't teach just magic, you know."

Then why is it called an 'Academy of Magic'? That doesn't make any sense. I nod anyway, prompting her to continue.

"Almost all mages are nobles. The saying 'nobles achieve nobility through the use of magic' is a foundation for the education we receive as nobles. Thus, our dining halls must also be fitting of a noble's status."

"So I see..." So to be part of the ruling class, you have to be a mage? Well, in a way that's understandable. After all, the strong have always ruled over the weak. Since those possessing magic are stronger than those who don't, it's only natural that those who possess magic are called 'nobles' while those who don't are named 'commoners'. But still, being a good mage doesn't necessarily equal being a good ruler. That's a fact, and you'd have to be a fool to close your eyes to that. Which basically means that almost every noble is a fool.

Sounds about right to me.

"Understand? Normally, a commoner like you would never set foot inside the Alvíss Dining Hall. Be grateful," Louise continues.

Well, duh. I wouldn't even be here if you hadn't summoned me. And if a commoner would never set foot inside this place, then what about the servants? I sincerely doubt these mages would be able to function at all, if it weren't for the servants around here.

"Of course, Louise. I'm _incredibly_ grateful to be here." I really, _really_ am. "By the way, what's an Alvíss supposed to be?"

"It's the name for the little people. See all those statues over there?" Louise says, as she points towards the small statues lined up along the walls.

"So those are Alvíss, huh. Is there anything special about them?" I ask, since I can feel some faint traces of magic coming from them.

"Well, during the night they come alive to dance."

So these Alvíss can come alive at night? Interesting. I can think of a few uses for a group of small, walking statues. "Really? Is dancing all they do?"

"Well, yes. What else would they be doing?" Louise asks, apparently seriously wondering what other uses they might have.

"It's nothing." So not only do they dance at night, when no one can actually see them, but they don't do anything else, either? I silently shake my head. Such a waste of potential.

Apparently done talking, Louise takes a seat at the table, which is covered with all sorts of food. There are different kinds of meat, vegetables, pie, and although it's early in the morning, there's even wine. Really, luxury is all well and good, but this is just excessive. Back when I was Overlord, I didn't even eat like this for dinner, let alone for breakfast.

The students start to pray, and closing her eyes, Louise joins in as well. "Oh, Great Founder Brimir, and our lady, the Queen, we thank you for this humble meal that you have graciously provided us this morning."

How exactly is this a 'humble meal'?

Having finished praying, Louise looks at me, and then points to the floor. Placed on the floor is a bowl, filled with some kind of soup that looks more like dishwater, and a piece of hard-looking bread. It seems they didn't even bother to give me a spoon. Really, what is this? Even a dog eats better than this.

Yeah, I think I'll pass. It's not like I actually need to eat, anyway, so if this is what I'm going to get, I might as well skip it altogether. Waiting for Louise to finish her breakfast, I eye the food with disdain.

I silently promise myself that I'll limit their diet to water and bread once I rule this place. That'll teach them. I immediately feel a lot better.

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><p>The classes of this academy are pretty much as I expected. Basically, you sit down and watch the teacher talk all day. Most of what she said was unimportant, but I did learn a few interesting facts. Apparently, the mages of this world are divided among different classes, based on magical strength. The weakest mages are Dot-class, then there is Line-class, then Triangle-class, and the strongest mages are Square-class.<p>

Also, apparently Square mages are rare, and only Square earth mages can transmute metals into gold. Personally, I found that very disappointing.

But besides that, most of the class was rather dull, although it did end rather _explosively_. Let's just say I now finally understand why Louise is called a 'Zero'. Her success rate is zero. Still, I don't think it's that bad. Sure, it's disappointing if all your spells fail, but explosions have their uses too, right? Did you lose the key to your house? Just create a little explosion, and the door's gone. Does someone annoy you? Create a slightly bigger explosion, and the nuisance is gone. There are very few things a nice, big explosion can't fix, and I've never met anyone who could create explosions as large as Louise can. I'm sure the Brown Minions would have loved her.

Right now, lunch break has begun, and so we're back at the dining hall, where we are going to have lunch. That is to say, Louise will have lunch, and I'll just stand around being bored. In fact, that's exactly what I'm doing right now. Looking around the hall for a bit, I frown as I see a familiar face. It seems Siesta has managed to earn herself the ire of a pair of nobles.

I recognize one of the nobles as the William-lookalike from last night. The other one is a young girl with tightly rolled blond hair. She's holding a bottle of perfume in her left hand, and her right hand is raised, as if to slap the frightened maid.

Normally, I don't interfere in this kind of stuff, but I'll make an exception this time. All this talk about familiars and serving is stressful, and I need to blow off some steam. There isn't much opportunity for carnage here, but even a little bit of conflict should make me feel a lot better. Besides, the girl is a good servant, and good service should be rewarded. Quickly making my way over to them, I catch the blond haired girl's hand right as it came down.

"Surely, this is all a misunderstanding," I say to the stunned girl, even though I have no idea what this is all about.

"And who are you?" the girl snaps at me.

Letting go of her hand, I answer, "Oh, I'm just someone passing by."

"Wait, you must be that commoner that Louise the Zero summoned," the William-lookalike interjects. "It figures you _servants _all cover for each other."

I slightly narrow my eyes, "Oh? And why would I be doing that?" I'll let that insult slide. After all, what's about to come next will easily make up for it.

"This maid has stolen my perfume," the blonde girl accuses, waving around the bottle of perfume in front of my face.

Siesta frantically denies it. "That's not..."

The girl didn't let her finish, however. "Quiet, commoner! How else could you have obtained that bottle after I gave it to Guiche?"

And suddenly, the pieces fall together. This Guiche is obviously some kind of playboy, and this girl must be his girlfriend. He must have dropped that bottle at some point, and Siesta, being a faithful servant, tried to return it to him. This girl must have seen the maid holding _her_ perfume, and she must have drawn the wrong conclusion. And because Guiche is a spineless worm who is already being suspected of cheating, he has decided to support his girlfriend.

Of course, I have no way of knowing this for sure, but it sounds exactly like something this William-lookalike would do. But even if Siesta does happen to be lying, which seems unlikely, it doesn't matter to me. She didn't bother _me_, after all. Besides, seeing Guiche squirm should be amusing.

"That doesn't make any sense. Think about it for a moment. If she had really stolen your perfume, then would she have really done it in plain sight, where everyone could have seen her?"

The girl doesn't seem to be convinced, but she does seem to start doubting Guiche's story. I bet this isn't the first time Guiche has been lying to her.

Luckily, I know of another way to utterly destroy her trust in Guiche. In fact, she just entered the dining hall, and she is approaching us right now.

"By the way," I say casually to Guiche, "are you absolutely sure that she stole it?"

"Of course, commoner. Are you accusing me of being a liar?"

"Not at all. But I do wonder; if this perfume belongs to your girlfriend, then who was that girl you met up with last night?"

Cold sweat breaks out on Guiche's face as the girl turns towards him. "What is he talking about, Guiche?"

Trying to save his hide, Guiche denies everything. "Absolutely nothing, Montmorency. After all, I-..."

"I cannot tell lies in front of your eyes?" I swiftly interrupt. "When you said it last night, I thought it was a bit tacky. It hasn't gotten any better the second time."

And right at that moment, the brown haired girl from last night arrives on the scene. I couldn't have timed it better myself.

Now all I have to do is watch how everything plays out. Taking Siesta's arm, I quietly start shuffling backwards, dragging her along. In my experience, it's best to watch an explosion from a safe distance.

With a loud smack, Guiche is hit by a double-slap to the face. Huffing angrily, the two girls leave. Ahhh, teenage love. It just warms my heart to see it play out to its logical conclusion. A satisfied smile appears on my face. I was right; I do feel much better now. Turning around to take my leave, I'm stopped by Guiche's voice. "Stop right there."

"What is it now?" Really, this kid is working on my nerves.

"Because of your meddling, the reputation of two ladies has been damaged. How will you take responsibility?"

I can only stare at him. "Did getting slapped also deal damage your brain?"

Guiche's eyes narrow. "It would seem that you don't know the proper etiquette for addressing a noble."

"Oh, I know perfectly well how to address a noble. Once I see a noble, I'll be sure to let you know."

"It seems you need a lesson in respect. Perhaps a duel will teach you how to speak to your betters, commoner," Guiche says haughtily.

Well, there really is only one proper response to such a request. I laugh at him. Rather loudly, too. "You? Teach _me_ a lesson? It seems you really did suffer brain damage. Grow up, _little boy_. I believe you have wasted enough of my time."

Still smiling, I really do walk away this time.

"W-What? I knew that you'd be too frightened to face me! Admit it, coward!" Guiche desperately taunts me. Perhaps he believes that beating me up will save his own face? That logic seems a bit faulty to me, but then again, these so-called nobles are pretty stupid, anyway.

I pay his childish taunts no mind, but what he says next makes me freeze. "I bet you're just as worthless as your master!"

My smile disappears. "What was that, _rat_?" Turning around, I narrow my eyes at him. I thought he had been humiliated enough, but it seems I was wrong. Insulting Louise was the final straw. I will suffer his foolish tongue no longer. "Perhaps you are right. I believe a lesson in respect is in order."

Smirking, Guiche answers, "I'll be waiting for you at the Vestri Court. Don't keep me waiting, commoner." He then stands up and leaves.

Next to me, Siesta is staring at me with wide eyes. "So," I address her, "where exactly is this Vestri Court?"

Siesta quivers as she answers, "Y-You... You'll get killed..."

A displeased frown appears on my face. Did the people here really have this little faith in me? "I highly doubt that. Now, about the Vestri Court..."

However, Siesta quickly hurries off.

At the same time, Louise managed to push her way through the crowd. "What do you think you're doing?" she hisses, as she attempts to drag me by my arm, with little success.

"I can ask the same thing of you. What exactly do _you_ think you're doing?" I ask.

"I'm trying to save your life! If you hurry and apologize to Guiche now, he might still forgive you."

I can hear the concern laced in her voice. So, it seems she does care about me after all. It's all very touching, but I have no intention of apologizing to _anyone_. I shake my arm loose, and say, "I refuse. Now, where is the Vestri Court?"

Louise voice becomes pleading. "Don't you understand? A commoner can never beat a mage! You'll be lucky if you even manage to come back alive!"

I allow a small smile to grace my lips. "Your concern is touching, but unnecessary. And if you point me to the Vestri Court, I'll show you why."

While Louise doesn't seem entirely convinced, she must have seen that I'm being serious, as she wordlessly beckons me to follow her. My smile widens into a grin. On second thought, this 'duel' might actually be a good opportunity for me to showcase my power. Well, a little of it, anyway. This duel will be many things, but a real fight won't be one of them.

* * *

><p>When I arrive at the Vestri Court, a large crowd of students has already gathered there. The students step aside as I approach, and soon I'm standing in the middle of the court with Guiche, surrounded by students on all sides.<p>

"I commend you for not running away, commoner," Guiche said, while twirling his rose-shaped wand.

Having donned my helmet once again, I narrow my eyes, which are now glowing a bright red. "Stop talking and begin the duel, _rat_. I'm tired of hearing your voice." My voice has become deeper as well, taking on an echo, and with no small amount of satisfaction, I see Guiche flinch.

Quickly putting on an air of fake confidence, he points his wand at me. "Very well, then. If you are so eager to fall, commoner, then who am I to deny your request?" He flicks his wand, sending a bronze petal flying through the air. Where it landed, a bronze golem rose from the earth. "My name is Guiche the Bronze. As such, the bronze golem, Valkyrie, shall be your opponent."

Bronze? How pathetic. My armor is made of arcanium and imbued with the power of the Abyss. Something as weak as bronze cannot even scratch it.

The Valkyrie immediately charges towards me, its fist aimed at my stomach. I don't even bother to block it. Slamming its fist against my armor, its arm is shattered by the force it put behind the blow. At the same time, the enchantment on my armor activates. A shell of flames covers my body, blasting the golem with the hellish fire of the Abyss. Its scorched and blackened remains are launched through the air, landing before Guiche's feet in a heap of scrap metal.

"Was that all?" I say in a bored tone of voice, dusting some soot off my armor.

"W-What?" Guiche stutters, his eyes glued to the scorched remains of his Valkyrie. Even the crowd has gone silent. "B-B-But that's impossible! You're just a commoner! Commoner cannot use magic!" Guiche shrieks.

"I have said no such thing. Now, continue the duel. Otherwise, you'll die here," I say with a cold voice, as I reach for the sword on my back with my right hand. Panicking, Guiche frantically waves his wand around, and six more petals are launched, turning into six more Valkyries, this time all equipped with different kinds of weapons.

My hand closes around the hilt of my sword, and something changes. My body feels as light as a feather, and even my armor seems almost weightless, as power that is not my own flows through my body. It would seem being a familiar has a few perks as well.

The six golems surround me, and then all attack me at once. Dashing forward, the golem in front of me is sliced apart in an instant. It's strange. My body feels much lighter than normal, and I'm moving so fast that everything else seems to be standing still. I whirl around, cleanly bisecting the golem closest to me at the waist, then moving on to the next, cleaving it in half from head to crotch.

Two more slashes, and another two golems bite the dust. The last one leaps backwards, jumping in between me and Guiche.

Guiche himself is trembling, hiding behind the skirt of his last remaining Valkyrie. Fitting, I suppose. I glare coldly at him, as a cruel smile plays around my lips. My initial reason for not killing these students still stands. However, that does not mean that I will allow him to walk away unpunished.

Raising my left hand, I call forth the magic within me. When I was still the Overlord, I had to rely on the relics of the previous Overlord in order to do magic, as I could only do some minor magic myself. However, that is no longer the case. It is another gift I obtained from spending so much time in the Abyss.

Tapping into the darkness that exists within me, the same darkness that all Overlords possess, I gather it in my left hand, the spell taking the form of lightning. It is called 'Evil Presence'. Supposedly, all Overlords can use it, but I never managed to learn it before getting locked up in the Abyss. The spell overwhelms the mind with pure evil, inflicting great pain without actually damaging the body. By putting more power behind the spell, it burns away any semblance of free will, turning the target into a mindless slave. And by using even more power, the spell can even kill, as the strain it puts on the target will prove too much for his body to handle.

Since I don't intend to seriously harm Guiche, I only use a fraction of my power. Pointing towards the golem standing between me and Guiche, I let the spell loose. Even though I'm holding back, the golem instantly falls apart, as the magic sustaining it has been burned away. For Guiche however, things wouldn't go as fast. The boy collapses to the ground, curled up in a fetal position, as pain wracks his body.

After watching him squirm for a while, I lower my arm, and the stream of lightning stops. It seems Guiche has passed out, as he remains completely still. Making my way over to him, I kick him in the stomach. A groan escapes his lips, and he rolls onto his back, his eyelids fluttering.

"Wake up, rat. I haven't given you permission to pass out," I say, while looking down at him. My voice turns mocking. "If you are the standard for the nobles of this world, then the nobility here is truly pathetic." I look up from Guiche's quivering body to glare at the crowd surrounding us. The students closest to me back away quickly, their fear apparent on their faces. "You were so proud of your own power, so _arrogant_, and yet, you only dare challenge those you deem weaker than yourself, those who cannot defend themselves. That is not strength, that is weakness. You nobles are so full of yourselves, and yet you lack the power to back up your claims. _That_ is the true face of this world's nobility. No power. No honor..." A distasteful sneer creeps across my face as the stench of urine reaches my nose, originating from a rapidly expanding stain on Guiche's pants. "... No _dignity_." I put my sword back in its sheath. "Let this be a lesson: I will _crush_ anyone who gets in my way. And next time, I will not be so merciful."

Having said what I wanted to say, I turn and leave, unobstructed by the crowd of students, who seem to be trying their best to stay as far away from me as possible. Good, they learn fast.

I stop at the edge of the court, looking up at the academy's main tower. "I hope you enjoyed the show," I say to the mages who have been using a scrying spell to watch the duel since the very beginning. I laugh as I continue on my way.

I have already put some distance between myself and the Vestri Court when I stop again, allowing a small strawberry blond haired girl to catch up with me. "I trust that this was enough of a demonstration, Louise?" I say to the panting girl as she reaches me.

"That was... So you really are..." Louise manages to say between gasps for air. She looks up at me with a mixture of newfound respect, disbelief, and just a little bit of fear.

A genuine smile appears on my face. "You wished for a powerful familiar, did you not? Rest assured, for you have gotten exactly what you desired."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

And in this chapter, we see that being 'uncorrupted' does not equal 'being good'. The Overlord was actually fairly mild in his punishment, when you consider the alternatives. Guiche is still breathing, his limbs are all still attached, and he still has his free will. All he has is a trauma, so he's still pretty lucky.

But aside from the duel, not much happens this chapter. In fact, the first two days after the summoning are pretty uneventful. However, things should start getting more interesting now.

Next chapter involves Fouquet, and things will go quite a bit differently than they went in canon.

The first Minion Hive should appear the chapter after that, but it might make an early appearance, depending on the length of the next chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Zero no Tsukaima is the property of Noboru Yamaguchi and Media Factory. Overlord is the property of Triumph Studios and Codemasters. I claim no ownership of any of the elements of either franchise appearing in this story. This entire story is a work of fan-fiction.

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><p><strong>Overlord of the Void:<strong>

Chapter 3

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><p>It has been several days since my duel with Guiche, and it seems most of the students are trying their best to avoid me. Well, that is fine by me. At least I won't have to put up with their insolence any longer. It also seems the students have stopped insulting Louise, which is an added benefit. Well, they are avoiding her as well, but I still consider it an improvement.<p>

Today is the Day of Void. On a Day of Void, there are no classes, and as such, many students spend the day hanging out with friends and making fun. Some of them stay at the academy, while many others make a trip to the capital city of Tristain, Tristania, which is about three hours away on horseback.

As for me, I am currently sitting in the academy's library, studying. The Tristain Academy of Magic is considered the best in Tristain, perhaps even the entire world, and its library reflects that. It is filled with countless books on various subjects, including texts on magic theory, catalogues of magical creatures and historical records. It is this last one that has gained my interest. History books, ancient reports and journals written by people long dead, I'm searching through them all in order to find just the smallest hint of the existence of a previous Overlord on this world. It's not the most exciting thing to do, but it's not like I have any better ideas, anyway. As the Overlord, or someone who used to be the Overlord, I need my Minions, and if I'm going to search for them, then I'll have to start somewhere.

Well, I'm bound to find something eventually. After all, every Overlord has a great story behind them, and it would be a horrible ending to my story if I were to be saved from the Abyss, only to be stranded on this world. By that logic, _something_ should happen soon.

"I don't get it. How can you be so sure that these Minions of yours are in this world as well?" Louise, who is seated next to me, asks as she grabs another book.

"I'm not. However, your summoning magic managed to reach me, and I was stuck in a place that was specifically created to prevent such things from happening. If I was summoned, then it's not too much of a stretch to assume that other creatures from a more easily accessible world could have been summoned as well." Or at least, that's what I'm hoping.

Louise has decided to help me read, because apparently, I wasn't able to do it by myself. I think that the portal that brought me here also cast some kind of translation spell on me. Sadly, it doesn't seem to translate the written language. With Louise aiding me, I'm slowly starting to understand more of this language, but deciphering these books still takes far longer than I'd like.

It doesn't help that I haven't actually found anything yet. All I can find are vague references and descriptions of creatures that might be Minions. That, and a lot of irrelevant information on Helkeginia's history.

Apparently, there was once a man named Brimir who united the human tribes of Helkeginia and is hailed as the 'Founder'. Now, learning more about Helkeginia's history might be useful, but I'm pretty sure most of what I've been reading is actually just propaganda. For example, most of these books describe how Brimir had the support of some god. Or they describe how he died, and became a god himself. Now, the first example is unlikely, since every god I know is either lazy or just plain evil. For example, take the Mother Goddess. She didn't really seem to care much that her own children, the elves, almost went extinct. And then we have the Forgotten God... Do I really need to say more?

And then there's the second example. That one's even more unlikely than the first. I can safely say that it's impossible to become a god. Even in my case, 'God of the Abyss' is really just a title; I was the strongest creature in the entire Abyss, so I became its god. There was no such thing as an 'ascension' involved. At most, trying to 'ascend' will turn you into a giant abomination. The one elf who tried to do so ended up in the Abyss, and his punishment was to be eaten by said giant abomination over and over again for all eternity.

Much more interesting are the legends in which the Founder commands an army of 'angels'. Now, angels don't exist, but Minions most certainly do, and while I don't know how anyone could mistake a Minion for an angel, I suppose it's possible.

"I think it's lunchtime," Louise says, as the smell of baked bread fills the air. She closes her book, and says, "I'll be in the dining hall if you need me."

I silently give her a nod, and watch her as she leaves. It seems Louise has become a lot more meek and helpful since the duel with Guiche. Not that this is a bad thing, of course. Without her help, translating these books would have been a lot harder, if not impossible.

Hm, it seems this one is useless as well. Sighing, I put away my own book and take another one from the large pile lying next to me. I frown as I open it. This... this isn't Helkeginian. Strange runes are scribbled across the page.

"Funny, I didn't think you the type to take such an interest in history," I hear a woman's voice say from behind me. Standing behind me is a young woman with green hair, which is tied in a bun, and brown eyes covered by a pair of glasses.

"I have my reasons. You're the headmaster's secretary, right?" I ask. I think I've seen her few times while walking around the academy. I assume she must run a lot of errands for the headmaster, as I've never seen the man come out of his office himself.

"You're right. I am Longueville, and I'm Old Osmonds secretary. And if I'm not mistaken, you are the familiar of Miss Vallière."

"You aren't," I assure her. "And as for why I'm here, I've never been to this part of the world, so I figured I'd try to learn more about Helkeginia and its history," I explain, as I turn back to the weird book on the table before me. Technically, this wasn't a lie. It's just vague enough to all be true.

I feel her look over my shoulder. "In that case, you might want to put this book away," she says, amused. "That's an elven journal written before Helkeginia was even founded."

So this is elvish, then. It seems that the language of this world's elves is also different from that of the elves I am familiar with. "I take it that you know how to read this, then?" I ask.

"I do, actually. This seems to be the journal of an elven general who fought against Brimir six thousand years ago. It has been well preserved by magic," she clarifies, as I look at her questioningly. "If you wish, I could teach you," she offers me.

"That's... very generous of you," I say. A bit _too_ generous, actually. "But aren't you supposed to be working right now?"

"Oh, that's alright. I'm taking a break right now," she answers.

"Well, in that case, I'll gladly accept your help, Miss Longueville." I'm not sure what she hopes to get out of this, but there really is no reason for me to refuse. Besides, perhaps the elves know something that the humans don't. It's unlikely, but who knows?

She smiles as she takes a seat next to me. "Take a look at this," she says, as she points at a set of runes. She then begins to explain what they mean. This goes on for a while, and soon we are finished translating most of the journal. It seems that six thousand years ago, the elves were fighting a losing battle against Brimir, who had command over 'a legion of demons, lead by a black knight'. That does sound familiar, doesn't it? Of course, the elf who wrote this might have been referring to something else entirely, but I feel like I'm on the right track. This still doesn't tell me where to find my Minions, but at least I know where to start. If necessary, I can always pay a visit to the elves to see what they know. If they're anything like the elves I knew, getting them to talk won't be a problem.

"Would you mind if I asked you a question?" Longueville asks me as we finish the translation.

"That depends on what you are going to ask me," I answer. "Go ahead."

"I watched your duel with that son of Gramont," she says, and her face twists in distaste as she says 'son of Gramont'. "In the end, I saw you using some kind of magic. What was that?"

"What about it? It's magic. There's nothing else to say about it," I answer.

"Even so, nobles need to use wands to do magic. As far as I know, only Ancient Magic, which is primarily used by the elves, doesn't require wands, and humans cannot use it."

Well, I see no problem with giving an explanation about my magic. While explaining too much could get problematic, it's also a good way to intimidate others. After all, people generally aren't that eager to attack someone who is so much stronger than they are. "Obviously, I am neither a noble nor an elf. Where I come from, everyone who is capable of using magic can do so without using a wand," I say. Of course, my own magic still can't exactly be called ordinary, but the principles behind the different kinds of magic are still largely the same.

"I see... It must be useful to be able to use magic without having to rely on any tools. But what I really wanted to know, was what kind of spell you used. Although that boy didn't seem to be physically harmed by that lightning of yours, his golem was destroyed in a single hit."

"Actually, it's not lightning. It merely looks like it. It's a spell that's designed to harm the mind, rather than the body, although on the golem, it had the added effect of draining away the magic that sustained it." If applied properly, it can also enslave or kill people, but she doesn't need to know about that.

"Interesting... I suspected that it might have had something to do with draining magic, but I didn't think it could harm people's minds. Does this work on inanimate objects as well?" she asks.

"It does," I answer. "Are you going anywhere with this?"

She smiles at me, but she doesn't answer my question. "I can only imagine what it must be like for you, to suddenly be pulled away from your home, to serve as a pet for some bratty noble."

Wait, what brought that up? "I'm still better off where I am right now, than where I used to be. Besides, things will definitely become better eventually." I'll make sure of that.

"Maybe, but until then, how would you like some payback?" Longueville asks.

Payback? I guess she doesn't really like nobles, then. "What kind of payback are we talking about here?" I ask her.

Longueville's smile grows wider. "The kind that will thoroughly humiliate them," she says. "This academy houses one of the most well protected treasuries in all of Tristain. Imagine what would happen if someone were to rob it."

"I assume that would be quite an embarrassment for the academy," I answer. "And should I decide to do as you suggested, what exactly would you be getting out of this?"

She shrugs. "Oh, nothing much. All I want is a single specific artifact from that treasury."

Just as I suspected. "I see. And why do you need me for that?"

She grimaces. "Because the treasury is protected by several powerful enchantments, and I cannot break them myself. However, I believe that you can."

So that is why she was asking me about my magic. "It seems you have this all planned out," I say. "You aren't just an ordinary secretary, are you?"

She chuckles. "Let's just say that I have some experience with stealing things," she says.

So she is a professional thief? When I think of that, one name especially comes to mind. It's a name that I've heard come up several times during conversations between the servants of this academy. "You are that 'Fouquet' that the servants have been talking about, aren't you?"

"Oh, so you have heard about me?" She sounds surprised. "You're right. I'm the thief everyone calls 'Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt'."

"I see," I say. Honestly, there is very little reason for me to do this, but I do find myself a bit curious. "Before I agree to anything, what exactly is this artifact that you want to steal?"

"Well, I guess I can tell you this. It's called the 'Orb of Destruction'. Supposedly, it's a large orb that contains a lot of magical energy."

An orb that contains magical energy? Could it really be?

"Alright, I'll help you break into the treasury," I say. If this orb is what I think it is, then I definitely need to obtain it.

"Excellent. Meet me at the treasury on the fifth floor tonight, after everyone else has gone to sleep," she says.

I turn towards the entrance of the library as the door creaks and Louise returns from her break. When I turn back, Longueville has disappeared.

"Alright, where were we?" Louise asks as she takes a seat on the same chair the secretary had been sitting on mere moments ago.

"What? Oh, right." I randomly pick a new book. "This one looks promising."

Although I open it, my mind is elsewhere. If this Orb is truly what I think it is, then logically, my Minion Hives must be here as well. But I'm getting ahead of myself. For now, all I can do is wait until tonight.

* * *

><p>Night came quickly, and soon the entire academy was covered in silence, as its inhabitants had gone to sleep. Louise herself appears to be fast asleep as well, judging by the steady rise and fall of her chest. Taking care to not wake her, I carefully open the door and slip outside.<p>

The treasury is on the fifth floor. Hurrying up the stairs, I find myself standing before a pair of large iron doors, kept shut with a thick bolt mechanism, which in turn is secured with a large padlock. I can immediately tell that these aren't for show. A powerful enchantment has been placed on the lock, ensuring that it won't open without the correct key. Because of that, attempting to pick it would be pointless. Furthermore, the room itself as well as the doors have been reinforced by magic. I can see why Longueville would need my help.

Speaking of which, the thief herself has just appeared as well. She's now wearing a black hooded cloak which obscures her face. "Good. You're here," she says. It seems her cloak is enchanted, because her voice sounds deeper, and I cannot tell whether it belongs to a man or to a woman. The nobles of Helkeginia never even managed to figure out Fouquet's true gender, and I can see why.

"So, what were you planning?" I ask.

"This treasury is protected by several powerful enchantments, but it has one weakness. The treasury is nigh invincible against ordinary magical attacks, but it is weak against physical force. However, the hardening spells used to reinforce the walls are still very potent, and even my golem cannot break them. So here's the plan; I need you to weaken the hardening spells. Once those are gone, I'll create a golem to break open the treasury."

"I see. But wouldn't that draw a lot of attention?"

"It would. But by the time the teachers arrive, it'll be too late, and we'll be long gone," she says, and although I can't see her face, I can sense her smirk.

"Is that so... Then I won't waste any more time," I say, as I place my hands against the doors. Lightning begins to arc along the metal surface as I channel Evil Presence into them, slowly eroding the hardening spells that were placed on both the doors themselves and on the walls.

I'm not sure how long it took to break the spells, but when the last enchantment finally shattered, Longueville had already left. Almost immediately afterwards, the floor begins to shake, and as I look outside through a window, I see a huge shape rise from the earth just outside the academy. The golem rapidly grows larger, becoming more humanoid in appearance, until its height matches that of the tower. With sluggish steps, it begins to move towards the academy. The golem simply steps over the academy's walls, and as it reaches the tower, it raises its fist. I can see Longueville stand on its shoulder, and as she waves her wand, the golem's fist turns to metal. It hits the tower's wall with a dull thump, and without its defenses it instantly collapses. The impact causes the entire tower to shake, and I can already hear several shocked cries coming from the lower floors.

After destroying the wall, the golem draws back its arm, and in its hand is a large glowing orb. Longueville called it the Orb of Destruction, but I know it by a different name; the Tower Heart. Having got what she wanted, Fouquet makes her golem turn around to flee.

What happened to "we'll be long gone"?

Oh well, it's not like I actually expected her to keep her word. There is no such thing as 'honor among thieves', after all. Besides, fighting a powerful opponent right before accomplishing my goals is only par for the course. Well, sort of powerful, anyway. I've fought a god and a godlike Overlord, so this barely counts as a threat. Still, fighting a large golem should be fun. At the very least, it should be a better sport than that pathetic duel of yesterday.

Unsheathing my sword, I leap through the window.

The ground shatters as I land. Pointing my left hand towards Longueville, who is standing on the golem's right shoulder, I call forth my magic. Fire dances between my fingers, and I flick my wrist, as if to throw it away. A small fireball instantly appears in front of me, flying in a straight line towards Longueville. It rapidly grows in size, and by the time it reaches the golem, it's large enough to engulf its entire head in flames.

However, before it can hit Longueville the golem partially turns around, shielding Longueville with its giant arms. With a loud explosion, the fireball slams into the golem, and the flash lights up the entire academy. If the academy's inhabitants weren't already awake by now, then this would have definitely woken them up.

The smoke clears, revealing that the fireball had blown away the golem's arms below its elbows. However, the stumps rapidly regenerate, and soon the golem is restored to its original state.

"Did you truly believe I was just going to let you walk away?" I ask, using magic to increase the volume of my voice, allowing Longueville to hear me. "You have taken something of mine. Hand over the Orb, and I might let you live."

Longueville begins to laugh, as she casts a spell similar to my own. "Oh? I think I'll take my chances. I was going to use you to slow down the teachers, but it seems I'll have to kill you myself."

"Very well," I say with a small sigh. However, a feral grin creeps across my face as I continue, "In that case, try not to die too fast. I haven't had a good fight in over a thousand years, _so entertain me_!"

Lightning arcs between my fingers as I raise my arm and send a burst of Evil Presence towards the golem. It is instantly engulfed by lightning, stripping away its magic while tearing its body apart, sending pieces of rock flying everywhere. However, Longueville continues to pour her magic into the golem, replenishing the magic sustaining it and restoring its body. At the same time, the golem's surface begins to ripple, and both Longueville and the Tower Heart disappear into its body. Longueville probably transported herself and the Heart to somewhere within the golem's chest, where I cannot easily hit her.

As soon as the lightning dies down, the golem charges towards me. It swings down its arm, and I have no doubt it would have pulverized me, had I not jumped away moments earlier. Guiche's bronze golems were not even able to scratch my armor, but this is entirely different. Although this golem is only made of earth and rock, it towers even the academy. If this thing manages to get in a clean hit, I'll be crushed, armor or not. Hell, even a glancing blow would be bad.

The golem is large and heavy, and it is because of this that it can break through fortress walls and crush almost any ordinary enemy. However, that is also its weakness. Due to its large size and weight, it's slow, and it cannot immediately recover after striking. However, it seems Longueville is aware of this as well, and she isn't planning to easily let me take advantage of it.

A large amount of stone spikes appear on the golems chest and arms. I instantly leap away as the spikes are launched towards me, dodging as many of them as I can, and using my sword to knock away the ones that get too close. By the time the attack finally dies down, the golem has already risen to its feet. It slowly continues on its way towards me, and the rain of spikes resumes, forcing me into the defensive once again. As the golem draws closer and closer, I realize what Longueville is planning. These spikes are meant to pin me down, to ensure that I won't be able to escape once her golem reaches me.

Heh, that's actually not such a bad tactic. However, it'll take much more than that to take me down. Gathering my magic within my hands, I release a large burst of Evil Presence, completely obliterating the volley of spikes that came flying towards me. Taking advantage of the small delay between this volley and the next, I close my eyes and focus for a moment, creating a small magic field around me, a shield that will protect me from Longueville's ranged attacks. The air around me shimmers as the spell takes effect.

What I created isn't just an ordinary shield; its defensive power is such that it can nullify almost any attack, both magical and physical. It's the ultimate defense, an impenetrable barrier that will protect both me and those under my watch. The area within the barrier's boundaries is effectively turned into a safe haven; a _Sanctuary_.

Another volley of spikes is fired towards me, only to shatter upon hitting my barrier. Sanctuary continuously drains my Mana, so I won't be able to keep it up for long. However, this fight won't last much longer.

The amount of spikes fired at me increases, rushing towards me like a deadly wall. However, I charge straight through them, and not one of them managed to pierce my barrier.

As I rapidly draw closer, the golem raises its arms. Its fists shine in the moonlight, revealing that they have been turned to metal. It swings its arms down, and the earth quakes and cracks as its fists hit the ground before it. They shatter on contact, sending a large amount of metal shards my way. However, I'm not worried about those. Whether it's stone or metal, nothing can penetrate my barrier.

More concerning is the large chasm that has appeared around me. Longueville probably attempted to make the ground collapse beneath my feet, but my Sanctuary must have prevented that. However, the ground around me was still affected, causing a large hole to appear in the ground, safe for a small circular platform in the middle, on which I'm standing. Still, this isn't that much better. This platform is unstable, and it will eventually collapse as well. That is, assuming that Longueville won't kill me first.

The chasm is several meters wide. Under normal circumstances, I cannot jump that far, but these aren't exactly normal circumstances. I look down at my left hand, where my familiar runes are hidden underneath my gauntlet. I know they will increase both my speed and my strength when I'm holding a weapon. Still, I wonder if it will be enough.

Well, there's only one way to find out. Tightening my grip on my sword, I take a leap. Behind me, I hear the platform collapse due to the sudden movement as I fly towards the golem, far faster than I ever thought possible.

As I dash past the golem, I conjure up two more fireballs, throwing them at its legs. They are blown away with a large explosion, and with its legs destroyed, the golem collapses onto its back. However, even as I turn around, its legs are already regenerating.

I step onto the golems chest, destroying its arms with another pair of fireballs. Then I kneel down, and placing my hand on the golem, I channel my magic into it. The regeneration instantly stops, as the soft earth of its body turns to solid stone.

Just like I thought. In a way, the golem functions much like a human body. While much of its body consists of stone, like a skeleton, its joints need to be flexible, or it won't be able to move. Also, it seems Longueville cannot create earth out of thin air, so in order to restore her golem, she needs to absorb earth through her golem's feet, and move it through its body to its limbs. Right now, she can't do that, because its entire body is petrified.

Because it's still stone, Longueville can probably find a way to break my spell, but since the golem is now saturated with my own Mana, it will still take a while. And that's all the time I need.

I close my eyes and extend my consciousness to the golem beneath me. I can sense it; the Tower Heart lies deep within the golem's chest, but not deep enough. This close to the Heart, I can feel its power, and hear its call. The Heart is not sentient, of course, but the power within it, stored there by former Overlords, senses the approach of a similar power. It calls out to me, and who am I to refuse?

I reach out with my consciousness to the Tower Heart, and drink deeply of its power. It feels good, almost intoxicating. It has lain dormant for thousands of years, but its power hasn't diminished one bit.

It's time to finish this. Tapping into the power of the Tower Heart, I unleash its might. Immediately a bright light bursts from the golems chest, engulfing its entire body. The magic sustaining it dissipates and the golem falls apart, the earth scattering with the wind.

When the light dies down, I see Longueville lying on the ground a few meters away from me. She desperately reaches for her wand, but my boot is a little bit faster. The wand cleanly snaps in two. Bending down, I grab Longueville by her neck and lift her up into the air. She struggles for a bit, but I don't let go. Still, even though she knows I hold her life in my hands, she doesn't seem afraid. In fact, she seems... resigned, if a bit regreful.

"Not bad," I say, "but nowhere near good enough." My fingers tighten around her neck. Even so, she isn't afraid. Perhaps I won't kill her after all. She put up a good fight, and she seems to be quite resourceful. It might be wasteful to kill her here.

I slightly loosen my grip, and Longueville gasps for breath. "No, I don't think I'll kill you just yet. I've got a better idea." For some reason, Longueville doesn't seem very relieved when she hears that. "Didn't you want to know more about my magic? It seems only fair that you get to experience it up close."

I call forth my magic, and unlike the time I fought Guiche, this time I do not hold back. Longueville's body convulses in pain as Evil Presence assaults her mind, stripping her of her free will.

She crumples to the ground as I drop her. However, when she looks up at me, her eyes are clear, and nowhere near as dull as they should have been. Interesting. I already thought so, but she must be very strong-willed to be able to resist Evil Presence, if only partially. Well, I suppose it is fortunate. A fully sentient servant is more useful than a mindless slave, and as she is still bound to me, she won't be a threat.

I turn around as I hear footsteps coming from behind me. Approaching me is an old man, whom I assume to be the headmaster, Osmond, followed by the teacher I met at the summoning ritual, Colbert. The headmaster looks like a typical wizard, complete with robes, a pointy hat and a long white beard. He coughs, and says, "Ah, you must be Miss Vallière's familiar. When I noticed someone broke into the treasury, I was a bit concerned, but it appears my concerns were misplaced. It seems you have apprehended the thief already. Miss Vallière is very fortunate indeed to have such a skilled familiar."

"Right," I answer. Good, it seems he hasn't realized my involvement in this whole thing. I intend to keep it that way.

"So Miss Longueville is Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt," Osmond says, and lets out a sigh. "Oh well, Fouquet will be handed over to the town guards, and the Orb of Destruction will be returned to the treasure vault. Then this case will be finally closed."

"Actually, I don't think that will be necessary," I swiftly interject. "I can assure you that Fouquet is no longer a threat."

"Is that so?" Osmond says as he eyes Longueville speculatively. "She does look a bit more... docile than normal, doesn't she? How did you manage that?"

"Oh, let's just say that I have my methods," I answer evasively.

Osmond looks slightly disappointed, but then he shrugs. "I see... Well, if you believe that Fouquet won't be a problem anymore, then I'll take your word for it. Personally, I prefer to keep the authorities out of this as well." Seeing my questioning look, Osmond explains, "You see, you aren't an ordinary familiar, and once word gets out that you singlehandedly defeated the infamous Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt, the palace will definitely hear about it. I'd rather not hand you and your master over to those fools at the palace."

So I'm not an ordinary familiar. Who would have guessed that. Truly, his observational skills are astounding. "Really? What gave me away? Was it my magic? Or, you know, the fact that I'm a sentient _humanoid being_, as opposed to a mere animal?" Well, I suppose we can at least agree that it'll be bad if the palace takes interest in me right now. They'll want to use me as a pawn, and it would be... unwise to kill them all without having my own army.

Osmond snorts. "Well, that is quite unusual as well, but that is not what I meant. The runes on your hand... Those are the runes of the legendary familiar, Gandálfr."

Gandálfr... I think I read something about that. "Gandálfr was the familiar of Brimir, right?"

Osmond nods. "That is correct. Gandálfr was the familiar used by the Founder Brimir. Although there was never any description of its appearance, it's said to have been created specifically for the purpose of protecting the Founder Brimir during his spell incantations, which were very long."

So I'm a Void Familiar now, huh? Then I suppose that would make Louise a Void mage. Well, if Louise is truly a Void mage, then that would explain the power I sensed within her. It would also explain why she cannot cast any ordinary magic. Void magic probably works differently from ordinary magic. A smile spreads across my face, although my helmet prevents Osmond from seeing it. If Louise is truly a Void mage, then that could be very useful to me. It's a shame no one knows how Void magic actually works, though. Well, I should just keep an eye out for mysterious Void relics that can teach Louise spells.

Right now, however, there is something more important I need to take care of. "This orb..." I begin, "where did you find it?"

"Oh, this? When I was younger, I used to be quite an adventurer. I found this orb during one of my travels. Due to its enormous magical power, I named it the 'Orb of Destruction', although I never figured out how to use it. But what about it?" Osmond asks.

Well, I see no harm in letting him know the truth about this. "This orb is an artifact from my world, called the Tower Heart."

"Your world?" Osmond asks.

"I'm not from this world, and neither is the Tower Heart. I don't think it's the same one I used to have, and I don't know how it got here, but this is definitely an artifact from my world. As such, instead of having it locked away again, I'd like to... 'study' it." Yes, let's just call it 'studying'.

Osmond strokes his beard thoughtfully, and answers, "Well, I suppose that's better than letting it gather dust in the treasury. After all, studying and learning are what this academy was built for. Still, I'd like to return this 'Tower Heart' to the treasure vault, where it will be safe."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," I say. Normally, carrying something as large and heavy as the Tower Heart up to the fifth floor would be quite problematic without Minions. Luckily, I know just the solution. Turning towards Longueville, I order her, "Return the Tower Heart to the vault."

Pulling herself up from the floor, Longueville kneels before me. "As you wish, my lord."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

In this chapter, the Overlord has obtained the Tower Heart. Just to clarify, this isn't the same one that has appeared in the games, since that one was absorbed by Florian Greenheart when he became the Devourer at the end of Overlord II. This Tower Heart was created by the 'black knight' the Overlord mentioned in this chapter.

We also see the Overlord use a few more of his spells. He has access to every spell of every playable Overlord, including the Overlord from Dark Legend. His spells also aren't limited to his alignment. For example, he knows the good level 3 shield spell 'Sanctuary', but he can also use the evil level 3 shield spell 'Infernal Shield'.

The only spell that is portrayed a bit differently is Evil Presence. In the game, it generally only kills or enslaves people. However, when the Overlord used it on Queen Fay, it turned her evil and drained her of her magic to charge the Tower Heart. Since it worked on Fay, I figured it would work on other people/objects as well.

Now, as for the next chapter... Canonically, Fouquet attacks on this night, Saito and co. search for her the next day, and Henrietta shows up after returning from Germania the day after that. That means there's one more day until the Albion Arc begins. So, next chapter the Overlord finds the Brown Minion Hive. Also, there will be a lot of orcs. And a lot of Brown Minions. And the Overlord needs Lifeforce to create more Minions. Can you see where this is going?


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Zero no Tsukaima is the property of Noboru Yamaguchi and Media Factory. Overlord is the property of Triumph Studios and Codemasters. I claim no ownership of any of the elements of either franchise appearing in this story. This entire story is a work of fan-fiction.

* * *

><p><strong>Overlord of the Void:<strong>

Chapter 4

* * *

><p>The treasury is a mess. The floor is littered with all manner of objects, both magical and mundane, and while I'm certain the place was already a mess to begin with, Longueville's attack last night probably didn't help matters.<p>

Right now, it's early in the morning, and the large gaping hole in the wall has already been fixed. The Tower Heart is back in its place in the middle of the room, basking it in a faint white glow. Around me, several servants are cleaning up the mess, removing the rubble and wiping away the dust. For some reason, there was also a lot of junk stored in this treasury, so they're throwing that away as well. It would seem Osmond is a bit of hoarder.

Louise, who is standing next to me, frowns at me as she says, "So you're saying that after I went to sleep, you fought off a giant golem, captured an infamous thief and obtained a powerful artifact from your world?" She looks incredulous. "What are the chances of _that_ happening?"

I simply give her a shrug. Having unlikely things happen to me is pretty much par for the course. If I'm not seeking out problems myself, then the problems will generally come find me, instead. Of course, the fact that I planned for all of this to happen might have had something to do with it as well.

Speaking of which, now that I've found the Tower Heart and last night's incident is over, I should continue my search for my Minion Hives. According to that journal I found, the elves might know more. However, it might be easier to ask someone who seems to know a lot about Helkeginia's magical artifacts and ancient relics. And luckily, she is no position to refuse my request.

"Miss Longueville," I say, turning to the figure standing in the corner of the room. She has changed back to her ordinary clothes, and besides Osmond, Colbert and Louise, no one knows about her identity as Fouquet. To most of the inhabitants of the Tristain Academy of Magic, Longueville is still the same secretary as always. However, unbeknownst to them, something has definitely changed.

Longueville steps forward and gives me a bow. "Is there anything you require, my lord?"

"There is. How much do you know about treasure hunting?" I ask.

"Quite a bit, my lord," she answers, sounding a bit proud of herself. "Whenever the nobles didn't have anything of interest to steal, I used to go treasure hunting instead. I know quite a few of the legends surrounding Helkeginia's treasures, and I know a few people who can tell me about the legends I don't know about myself."

"That's good. Do you know of any legends that mention artifacts that can create creatures?"

Longueville seems to think about it for a moment, before she answers, "I know of a few artifacts like that. What kind of creatures are we talking about here?"

"They are called Minions. They're small, ugly, hard workers and they really like destroying things."

"Destroying things, you say? Well, I only know of one legend that mentions creatures like that. Supposedly, there is a place called the 'Black Temple'. It's said that the temple houses an artifact which does exactly as you described. However, the creatures it creates are supposedly hostile, and they will kill anyone who gets close. Those are just rumors, though, because no has even managed to get anywhere near the artifact. The temple is apparently protected by powerful magical barriers and a lot of deadly traps." Longueville gives a small shrug. "That said, there haven't actually been that many people who have attempted to enter. After all, a treasure that will kill you isn't much of a reward."

"I see. And where exactly can I find this 'Black Temple'?"

"Well, apparently, it's close to a village called Tarbes..." Longueville begins, but as she looks over my shoulder, she suddenly falls silent.

I turn around to find that at some point, Siesta has crept up behind me. She looks rather anxious. "Yes, what is it?" I ask, slightly annoyed.

"I'm sorry, but I overheard you talking about the 'Black Temple'," she says shyly. "I think I might be able to help you with that."

"Oh? So you know what it is?" I say.

She nods. "Tarbes is my hometown. My grandfather was the one who built the temple."

"Really?" I say, interested. "Tell me everything you know."

"Well, there isn't much to say. One day, my grandfather simply appeared in the village, carrying with him a large object he called a 'Minion Hive'. Apparently he told everyone to stay away from it, saying that it was dangerous. According to him, he stole it from an evil Overlord who used it to oppress the people."

"I see," I say distractedly. So it really is a Minion Hive, then. I'm not sure where Siesta's grandfather got it from, considering that the last Overlord apparently lived six thousand years ago, but I guess it's not really that important.

"But no one believed him," Siesta continues, "Everyone says that my grandfather was weird."

Pfff, stupid little villagers. "How so?" I ask, making sure to hide my derision.

"He told everyone it was dangerous, but it never actually did anything. He made a lot of excuses, but no one had a reason to believe him. Still, he was a nice, hard working person, and everyone liked him. He was apparently also a powerful mage who protected our village for many years. Eventually, he built a temple to keep the Minion Hive locked away, and he used his magic to make sure that no one would be able to enter."

Well, I highly doubt that. He might have built the temple to keep people away from the Hive, but mages like that typically build in some kind of backdoor in case something goes wrong. Or so I hope, anyway. "Define 'no one'."

"Well, my grandfather told me that if necessary, someone of his bloodline can shut down the temple's defenses," Siesta answers.

Wow, that's convenient. "I hope you've finished you work, because we're going on a little trip."

Siesta blushes, and begins to stammer, "Oh, I..."

I'm not sure what that is all about, but she doesn't manage to finish, as Louise interrupts, "Wait! Take me with you."

I frown slightly. "Louise, all I'm going to do is get back my Minion Hive, so it won't take very long. Besides, aren't you supposed to go to class today?"

"But a noble should look after her familiar," she argues.

"I think your familiar is perfectly capable of looking after himself," I answer dryly. "Don't worry about me. I'll be back soon enough."

Louise grudgingly concedes, and I turn back to Siesta. "Let's get going," I say, beckoning her to come over as I step towards the Tower Heart. Closing my eyes, I tap into its power, and a vision of Helkeginia's layout appears in my mind. Faint glowing dots are spread across the map, all connected to the Tower Heart. They are the Tower Gates, ancient arcane links that keep the Overlord connected to the rest of the world. It seems that the Overlord who created this Tower Heart also built an entire network of Tower Gates. Good.

"Where is Tarbes, actually?" I ask Siesta.

"It's about three days from here by horse to the south," she answers.

Three days from here to the south, huh. Alright, I think I've got it. Focusing on the small dot I suspect to be near Tarbes, I activate the Tower Heart. For a fraction of a second, the world turns white, and when my vision clears, I find myself standing on a Tower Gate in a clearing in the middle of a forest.

"Where... where are we?" I hear Siesta say behind me as she looks around with wide eyes.

"I was hoping you could tell me," I say. "You said your village was three days by horse to the south. This is as close as I could get."

"I-I see. Now that you mention it, this place does seem familiar... I think Tarbes is this way," she says, pointing to the east.

I nod and let Siesta take the lead. And indeed, soon enough we come across a small village which, judging by the huge smile on Siesta's face, has to be Tarbes. Siesta quickens her pace as she heads towards the village, and I silently follow behind her.

When we enter the village, Siesta is greeted by a lot of people, probably her relatives and friends. Not wanting to intrude, I stay behind for a bit, watching her from the shadow of one of the buildings. Although I'd prefer to get this over with quickly, I can afford to take a little break. The Minion Hive isn't going anywhere, and since the Minions stayed here for this long, I highly doubt they'll suddenly decide to move somewhere else. Not that they would be able to do so, even if they wanted to. Siesta's grandfather probably wouldn't have build that temple if the Minions could just walk away.

However, just when I think Siesta is about to leave with her family, she points at me, and suddenly all their attention is fixed on me. Wonderful. I step forward, and when I reach them, Siesta introduces us to each other. Apparently, these people are her family, her father, mother, and her seven younger siblings. I suppose that makes this a non-romantic 'meet the parents' kind of moment, then. For some reason, that doesn't seem to make it any less awkward, though.

Okay, think. What did I do when I had to meet Rose's father? Oh, right. I killed him. Somehow, I don't think that's the right solution here.

Luckily, it seems I won't have to do anything, since Siesta has decided to tell her parent's how great of a person I am, and how much I look after her. Huh. While I suppose it's true that I've grown rather fond of her, I hadn't thought she'd think that much of it.

Well, I suppose it's a good thing. Probably.

"But we didn't come here just to visit," Siesta finishes her story. "We wanted to have a look at the temple grandfather built."

At this, Siesta's father frowns. "I'm sorry, but that might be easier said than done. The temple was built on the side of the mountain, and the pass leading up to it is overrun by orcs. I doubt those monsters managed to make it into the temple itself, but until the lord of Tarbes sends his soldiers to clear them out, it will be impossible to reach the temple."

Oh, great. This is going to be one of those annoying escort missions, isn't it?

"I don't have enough time to wait for that, " I say. "Just point me towards the temple, and I'll eradicate these orcs myself."

Siesta's father hesitates for a moment, but eventually he gives me the directions to the temple. I leave quickly, and Siesta hurries after me.

Making my way through the forest, I soon reach the foot of a mountain. Higher up the mountain, I can see the temple, but just like Siesta's father said, the pass leading up to it is swarming with tall pig-like creatures. Each one of them is about two meters tall, and unlike normal pigs, they are able to stand on two legs. Basically, they're bipedal pigs. Large, ugly, disgusting, bipedal pigs.

And they are in my way.

"Alright, stay back," I tell Siesta, as I unsheathe my blade.

"Please be careful," she says, nodding.

I snort, and as the power of the Gandálfr runes starts to course through my body, I charge. The two orcs guarding the entrance to the pass never even saw me coming before I cut them down. Hearing the ruckus, a slightly larger group of orcs quickly rushes down the path, but I am far faster. They died before the bodies of the first pair of orcs even hit the ground.

By now, the other orcs have noticed my approach, and the encampment is in disarray. The orcs are screaming and squealing at each other, although I can't tell whether they are yelling orders, or just screaming in fear. Either way, it only serves to make things even easier for me.

They blindly run around, making them easy targets. One by one, I take them out, slicing up their bodies with almost contemptuous ease. Only after half their camp was wiped out did they manage some kind of coordination. The orcs group together in the middle of the camp, before charging towards me in a rage.

Pathetic.

Raising my hand, I conjure up a fireball and fling it into the horde. It explodes on impact, instantly killing the orcs closest to the explosion, while the others are sent flying, only to die moments later as their bodies are burnt to a crisp by the hellish flames.

Ah, smells like bacon.

I take a moment to view the carnage I wrought. The sight of corpses littering the ground, the smell of blood and burned flesh, it all feels so... nostalgic. The thrill of the hunt, the excitement of seeing the light go out in the eyes of my enemies... I had almost forgotten what it felt like. These... these _things_ are no better than the dirt I stand on, but for now, they will suffice.

I used to be an Overlord. A leader of men, a ruler. But above all, I was _a conqueror_. To mercilessly strike down anyone who opposes me, and to see the broken and battered bodies of my enemies lie before me, _that_ is what I live for, what I do best.

I want it back.

I _will_ have it back.

I raise my hand, signaling Siesta to come over. She immediately rushes over to me from where she was hiding, and hugs me. "That was incredible, killing those orcs in no time! _You're_ incredible!"

Weird. That's the first thing that comes to my mind. Just 'weird'. I'm not even sure what I mean by that. All I know is that I feel weird.

Well, at least Siesta doesn't seem to be too affected by the sight of dozens of orc corpses. I suppose that's kind of weird too, but I guess it's a good thing she didn't break down.

Just as I'm about to answer her, I hear the sound of scraping metal, coming from somewhere near my right leg. Pushing Siesta away, I raise my right foot, and bring it down on the head of an orc who wasn't quite as dead as it seemed. As my boot hits its head, it bursts open like an overripe melon.

I then move to help Siesta up, who is staring at the orc's corpse with wide eyes. "Are you alright?" I ask.

She is quivering, but she doesn't seem to be hurt. She nods. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Then let's get moving," I say, as I start following the path up the mountain.

The so-called 'Black Temple' doesn't actually seem like a temple. In fact, it is neither black, nor a temple. At first glance, it seems like an ordinary stone house, but as I enter, it becomes readily apparent that it is far from ordinary. Stretching out before me is a long tunnel, with a pair of doors at the very end. The floor of the tunnel is littered with the old skeletons of unlucky adventurers, and I can sense the magic permeating this place.

I'm surprised. The magic here feels completely different from the magic I've seen the Helkeginian mages use. In fact, it is very similar to my own, though not completely identical. The magic used here is of the Light variant, rather than the Dark magic I use. In any case, it's not something that can normally be found on Helkeginia.

I quickly sneak a glance at Siesta. It seems her grandfather travelled quite a long distance before arriving at Tarbes.

"So, what's next?" I ask.

"I don't know. Just stay close," she says as she begins to walk towards the other end of the tunnel.

I frown a little, although I still do as she said. That's... not very reassuring. It's very well possible that Siesta's presence alone isn't enough to stop the temple's defenses. For all I know, it actually requires some kind of blood ritual, and without it we're walking right into a trap. Well, worrying about that now is pointless. I'm confident that if necessary, I can protect both Siesta and myself from anything that might happen and brute force the door open.

However, my concerns were unnecessary. We pass through the tunnel without problems. The pair of doors at the end are made of metal, but there is no lock. Instead there is a hand imprint located in the middle, right on the thin crack between the doors. Siesta wordlessly places her right hand on the imprint, and with a loud rumble the doors swing open.

It takes all of my self-control to keep myself from running in like an excited child, and slowly I step past the doors. But when I see what lies within that room, my heart skips a beat.

There it is. The Brown Minion Hive. I have no idea how Siesta's grandfather managed to obtain this, or how he got to this world, but this is unmistakably _my_ Brown Minion Hive. Not that of Helkeginia's last Overlord like I expected, but _mine_.

The Hive has lain dormant for a very long time, but as I draw closer, I can sense the lives within it stir, reacting to my presence.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I hear Siesta nervously say behind me, but I don't answer. As if in a trance, I raise my left arm, my hand clenched in a fist. I can feel the lives of my Minions, slumbering. It is time for them to awaken.

_Minions, heed the call of your Master... __**And come forth!**_

The Hive begins to shake and stir, as the Minions within it awaken from their slumber, to serve their Master once more. Small holes open on the surface of the Hive as the Lifeforce within it is given physical form, and Brown Minions burst out of them.

At the same time, the gem on the back of my left gauntlet, which went dull after my imprisonment in the Abyss, starts to burn yellow, the mark of an Overlord.

The Hive soon runs out of Lifeforce, and twenty Brown Minions surround me, their glowing yellow eyes only briefly lingering on Siesta before settling on me.

"Master!" one of them yells happily, and as if that was a signal, the Minions throw themselves at me, clinging to my armor in what can only be described as a very embarrassing group hug. My knees buckle slightly under the sudden weight, but I manage to stay upright.

I allow them to continue for a few seconds before shrugging them off. As the Minions pull themselves up from the floor, one of them comes to me. He seems different from the others. His right eye has been replaced by a glass one, and his body is covered in white markings. On his head he is wearing a jester's hat.

"It is good to see you again, Master," he says with a bow. "The name's Quaver, and I shall be your loyal jester. Please, allow me to commemorate this joyful moment with a song."

'Again'? I don't recall ever seeing him before, but then again, it's not like I can remember every single one of my Minions. I do recall having an annoying, traitorous jester, but that one definitely wasn't called 'Quaver'. Perhaps that jester died somewhere along the way. Serves him right.

The Minion called Quaver starts to sing, but his song is rudely cut off as another Minion bashes him in the face with his club, sending him flying.

"Master! Master! You're back!" the Minion cheerfully yells, hopping up and down in excitement. Now, I do recognize this Minion.

"Indeed, and this time, I intend to stay... Giblet," I reply to the old Forge Master.

"Aw, how cute!" I hear Siesta say, while gently stroking a Minion's head. Cute? _Cute? _That's not exactly how I would describe a Minion. Although, now that I think about it, Rose was like that as well. Maybe it's a girl thing.

"Ooooh, Mistress is nice. I like Mistress!" the lucky Minion exclaims.

"M-M-Mistress?" Siesta squeaks, her face slowly coloring red. "A mistress..." she mutters, seemingly lost in thought, and her face turns even redder.

Right...

So, my Minions mistook her for my Mistress? Why would they think that...

Siesta squeals again, her face as red as a tomato.

Oh. Oooooh. Right. Never mind, then.

Well, I suppose it's alright. At least she'll keep my Dark Towe-, I mean, the academy clean.

Alright, it's time to go. I order ten of my Minions to carry the Hive, and then I leave. However, I'm not quite ready to go back to the academy yet.

"Siesta, these orcs must have come from somewhere, right?"

"Eh?" Siesta looks a little surprised. "I mean, yes. Most of the orcs in this area live deeper in the forest." She points somewhere into the forest, in the opposite direction of Tarbes. "I assume that's where they came from."

"I see. Quaver, take the Minion Hive and return to the academy. Siesta will take you to the Tower Gate."

"Yes, Master," Quaver answers obediently.

"Uhm, then what are you going to do?" Siesta asks uncertainly.

"Oh, nothing special. I'm just going to take out the trash," I say.

"I-I see..." Siesta says. "Good luck, and be careful..." she mutters before leaving. Quaver soon follows her, along with the nine other Minions carrying the Minion Hive.

I snort lightly. Luck won't have anything to do with it. I wait until they leave my sight before I turn towards the remaining Minions. "Now, as for you..." I say, as a grin spreads across my lips. "You've had plenty of time to rest. I think it's time for you to get some exercise."

The Minions cheer, and their bloodlust is almost palpable. Well, it wouldn't do to keep them waiting, would it? Walking quickly, I lead the bloodthirsty horde towards the nearest orcish settlement, or what passes for a settlement, anyway.

It's more like a collection of caves and primitive tents, but luckily for me, I'm not here to admire their architecture. Slowly, I raise my hand to point at the settlement. "Go, and slaughter in my name."

Roaring and screaming, the Minions descend on the orcs like a bunch of vultures on a cadaver. But of course, these orcs are no motionless corpses, at least not yet. Unlike corpses, these wretched creatures scream a whole lot more when they are torn apart.

Judging by the size of the settlement, there must be about a hundred orcs here, at least. Perhaps I should join in myself?

Nah. The Minions seem to have it all under control. They might eventually get into a bit of trouble as the orcs recover from the initial shock and their defense becomes more organized, but for now, I can just sit back and enjoy the show.

* * *

><p>Giblet was having the time of his life. Certainly, there are more fun things to do than killing these ugly piggies, but you need to make the best of what you have, right? Giblet certainly thought so, so he intended to have as much fun as possible.<p>

"Stupid piggies! Kill! Kill! Kill!"

So far, that seemed to go pretty well.

He ducked low, narrowly avoiding a strike from one of the pigs who came up from behind him. Giblet twisted around, bringing his club down on the pig's kneecap, shattering it in one blow. As the creature collapsed, he leapt onto its chest, caving in its skull with another strike. The pig made a dying gurgle before it finally became completely still.

"AhahahaHAHAHA!" the Minion cackled maniacally. This was far too easy! Giblet didn't know how the others were doing, but this was nowhere near enough to satisfy him. Then again, Giblet was no ordinary Minion, not at all. Giblet was _old_ and _experienced_. Maybe not as old and experienced as Gnarl, but Giblet was definitely the second best in those two categories. And while he was certainly not as smart as Gnarl, Giblet _knew_ things, too. Like how to forge, and kill, and bash, and kill, and _kill_!

Now, who is next? Ah, there is anothe-!

A bone-shattering blow suddenly struck Giblet from behind, sending him crashing into the wall. The force behind that blow would certainly be enough to break every single bone in a body! An ordinary human body, that is.

The slightly bruised Minion pulled himself out of the hole in the wall and rolled onto the ground, hissing in anger at his attacker. This one seemed different. The pig was far larger than his brethren, with long tusks. In his hands was a large hammer.

It roared and charged towards Giblet, raising its hammer for another crushing blow. However, Giblet had no particular interest in being turned into a pancake, so before the hammer could hit him, he rolled forward, past the pig's attack and between its legs. He then lashed out with his club, striking the back of the pig's knee. However, the creature was much fatter than the others, causing the club to harmlessly bounce off.

If Giblet had been more articulate, he would have cursed, but as it was, he settled for glaring angrily. However, that only lasted for a moment, because Giblet's eyes grew wide as the pig's behind rapidly grew closer.

It was going to try to sit on him!

Being crushed between a pair of giant buttocks was not exactly how Giblet wanted his life to end. Well, he didn't really want to die, period, but he _definitely_ didn't want to die like that. Driven by desperation, he did the first thing that came to mind; he stabbed his club upwards.

Completely by chance, the club struck the pig right between the buttocks. This time, the pig's eyes grew wide. Mortally wounded, the pig collapsed, whining pitifully.

With a slight plop, Giblet pulled out his club, which was now much more brown than it used to be.

"Yuck!" Giblet exclaimed, making a face. That's... really, really gross. And the smell! Even the Greens smelled better than this!

He made an unhappy noise as he eyed the club with distaste. He had been rather fond of this club, too. His gaze then shifted to the fallen pig. Perhaps he was no longer able to use this club, but he could at least avenge it. Jumping onto the pig's chest, he raised his club, and brought it down on top of the pig's head. And again. And again. And again. And he kept swinging his club until all that was left of the pig's head was a bloody, gory mess.

Satisfied, he started to wipe away the sweat on his brow with the back of his right hand, only to realize what he was still holding in his right hand, and its close proximity to his face. Disgusted, he quickly tossed it away.

Then, his eyes fell on the hammer the pig used. Being a Forge Master, he could admire its craftsmanship. It was very well made, with intricate engravings covering its head. Giblet doubted the pig made such a fine weapon himself. It must have taken it from someone else. Probably someone wealthy, too.

"Ooooh, shiny."

But that didn't matter, because it now belonged to Giblet. And it belonged to the Master, because everything belonged to the Master, but it still also belonged a little bit to Giblet.

Grabbing the hammer with two hands, Giblet lifted the hammer over his shoulder. It was heavy! That meant that getting hit by it had to really hurt, too! And he already knew that it did, because he already got hit by it himself.

He cackled again, and charged into the nearest group of pigs, wildly swinging around his new hammer. Bones snapped, blood splattered and pigs screamed as he mowed down everything in his path.

The hammer was probably a little bit _too_ large and heavy for the little Minion, because his arms were getting tired, but he still had far too much fun to stop!

However, eventually the hammer met a little bit more resistance than it could handle, and with a shrieking sound it snapped. Stupid cheap human hammer. Giblet stared indignantly at the broken shaft in his hands. If _he_ had made it, that would never have happened.

Something suddenly smashed into his face, knocking him several meters backwards.

Ouch...

Ah, he really should have paid more attention. Since _something _in front of him caused his hammer to break, that _something_ would probably still be there, trying to kill him.

Giblet looked up. He immediately wished that he hadn't. It seemed the stupid pigs had surrounded him, and they didn't seem very panicked and chaotic. They just seemed really, _really_ angry. A quick glance around revealed that the others were in a similar predicament.

One of the pigs grunted something, and then the whole horde descended onto him. They never even got close.

Before the first of them even managed to take one step, a fireball exploded in the middle of them, instantly turning them into pork chops and bacon.

Hmmm, bacon. Giblet's stomach rumbled. Mass slaughter had made him hungry.

The fireball was soon followed by a blur of black metal, a merciless whirlwind of destruction, annihilating everything in its path.

"Master!"

It seemed the Master himself had decided to join in on the fun. Giblet could feel his excitement growing as he watched his Master. Truly, he was as great as he remembered! Greater, even! Giblet had always admired this particular Overlord, and he had been overjoyed to find that he had returned.

Giblet hadn't been disappointed. The Master was everything he remembered, and so much more. That strength! There was nothing in the whole world that could defeat his Master, of that Giblet was sure. And that speed! The Master was moving so fast that Giblet could barely see him!

Within minutes, there was not a single pig left in the whole settlement. The Master then turned towards his Minions, and raised his left hand. The sound of a horn blew through the ravaged ruins, the signal for the Minions to return.

One by one, they returned, until all ten of them stood before their Master. And as one, they kneeled before him. Ten Minions fought an army ten times their size, and won. A flawless victory, in which their enemies were utterly annihilated, and their own side came out unscathed. But they had no illusions. They knew the true reason for their victory.

Their Master, who was stronger and faster than anyone;

Their Master, whom they would fight for, and whom they would die for;

Their _Overlord_.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

Tarbes appeared a bit early this fic, but I figured it was the perfect place to put the Brown Minion Hive. After all, this Minion Hive came from the Overlord's own world, just like the Zero Fighter, which allowed me to add in a more... sophisticated Minion like Quaver. All the other Minion Hives will have been on Helkeginia for about six thousand years longer.

Next chapter, Henrietta shows up at the academy, the Overlord finds the next Minion Hive, and the Overlord and Wardes are going to have a lot of fun together. Well, at least one of them will.


End file.
